Such a device is used, for example, in the planning of installations and machines. By means of this device, even at the planning stage, it is intended that a first impression is obtained of a planned installation or a planned alteration in an ambient which already exists.
Augmented reality (AR) is a form of human-computer-interaction which, for example via data spectacles, inserts information into the field of view of the person and thus augments the actual reality visible to the person. This takes place in a context-dependent manner, i.e. adapted to and diverted from the object under consideration, for example a component, a tool, a machine or at its location. An example thereof may be a safety instruction during an assembling/dismantling process.
Two conventional methods exist for the representation of augmented reality. With so-called optical see-through (OST) systems, the virtual information is directly inserted into the field of view of the user, the user additionally being able to observe the reality directly. In this case, typically a miniature monitor worn on the head, a so-called head-mounted display, is used for representing the image information. With so-called video see-through (VST) systems, the reality is detected via a video camera. The virtual information is inserted into the recorded video image. The image information thus generated may then be displayed by one or more head-mounted displays or with a standard display such as a monitor. Thus a plurality of users are able to observe the augmented reality, for example even at a remote location. With video see-through systems, the video camera and the spatial detection system are even able to be mounted on the head of the user. In current practice, however, the video camera—and thus advantageously the spatial detection system—is mounted on a portable computer (for example a tablet PC).